6 Best Coffee Shops in Santa Monica, CA

We recently highlighted some of the best coffee shops in Venice, so it's only natural that we turn to the city directly adjacent to it and scope out some cafes in Santa Monica.

Santa Monica, minus the area around the Santa Monica Pier and Third Street Promenade, is a casual stomping ground for Los Angeles locals. The neighborhood is notorious for its beaches, happy hours, and just overall relaxed atmosphere. In addition to those three things, Santa Monica has some truly wonderful coffee shops. We decided to share what we think are the 6 best coffee shops in Santa Monica.

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1. Cafe Luxxe

925 Montana Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90403

Cafe Luxxe, which has turned into a bit of a local chain with locations in Malibu and the Pacific Palisdes, is has a wonderful location on Montana about a dozen blocks away from the ocean. You'll find legendary Los Angeles locals here (Jerry Seinfeld's Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee shot an episode here!), amazing coffee, and just a homey vibe that makes this an easy place to make part of your daily routine.

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2. Primo Passo Coffee

702 Montana Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90403

Montana has become the Mecca of amazing coffee shops in Santa Monica. Down the road from Cafe Luxxe, you'll find the pristinely designed Primo Passo. This cafe features premium rotating microbrews from Stumptown beans, while offering a welcoming place to relax. There's plenty of seating both inside and outside - lots of options for watching the world go by.

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3. Dogtown Coffee

2003 Main St, Santa Monica, CA 90405

The name and decor of this cafe pays homage to the skateboard history of nearby Venice. The walls are covered in pictures of long-haired beachgoers skating and surfing in the area, with colors that make it feel like you've gone in a time machine to the '90s. Beyond just coffee, you'll find skateboards for sale hanging on the walls. Perhaps add a skateboard to your coffee order?

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4. Espresso Cielo

Espresso Cielo is a no bells and whistles coffee shop located near Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica. It's the perfect place to grab a coffee or tea on the way to the beach. If you need a place to work, Cielo also has plenty of seating a free, reliable WiFi for you to use.

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5. Lo/Cal

2214 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90405

Lo/Cal is located on Pico in Santa Monica. This coffee shop, which you enter through big glass doors, serves delicious Stumptown roasts, with an especially good nitro cold brew. Pastries here are phenomenal, coming from Lemon Bird and Isabella's Cookie Company. They also have a great selection of fresh juices and retro sodas if you're in the mood for something different than coffee.

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6. Urth Caffé

2327 Main St, Santa Monica, CA 90405

Urth Caffé, which was founded in 1989, has been serving 100% chemical free, organic coffee for a long time. While the coffee is great, it has also become known as a bit of a celebrity hotspot - from being featured in Entourage to being a regular stop for people like Miley Cyrus.